Joyce Merrill

Joyce Merrill, 73, died Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at her home. Memorial Funeral Mass will be at 1:00pm Friday, February 11, 2011 at St. Christina Catholic Church, Parker with a private family burial to precede services at Rosehill Cemetery, Parker. Visitation will begin at 3:00pm Thursday at Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Home, Parker with family present from 5-7:00pm with a time of sharing to follow at the Parker Community Building. Memorials may be directed to the Turner County Fair 4-H Lunch Stand Building Fund or to the Hearts In Mind Preschool. Joyce Helen Schrepel was born on October 9, 1937 at Madison, SD to Oliver and Jennie (Dirksen) Schrepel. She attended grade school, high school and college on the General Beadle State Teachers College campus, now Dakota State University, in Madison. Joyce enjoyed the farm where she was raised and continued to help her mother, sister, and brother after the death of their father while she was still in grade school. She then worked her way though college as a librarian and telephone operator. Coming to Parker as a 1st Grade teacher was a highlight in her life, as she continued her love for young people in her teaching career which took her to different positions through the years. Joyce managed the 4-H lunch stand at the Turner County Fair for 34 years. On August 8, 1959 she was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” Merrill at St. Christina Catholic Church in Parker. They lived and operated a dairy farm at Parker. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Allen, Dana, Linda, and Karen. They enjoyed the activities of their ten grandchildren which was a big part of her everyday schedule. Joyce was a very active member of St. Christina Catholic Church, Altar Society, and member of the choir. She also was a charter member of the SD 4-H Hall of Fame in 2002, was recognized as volunteer of the year in 2007 by the SD Fair Association, and a charter board member of the Hearts In Mind Preschool. Grateful for having shared her life are her husband Bob; 4 children, Allen (Kristi) Merrill, Dana (Mark) Matthies, and Linda (Paul) Reynolds, all of Parker, and Karen (Doug) Mikuska, Sioux Falls; 10 grandchildren, Derek and Michelle Matthies, Shane and Katie Merrill, Blake, Blair, and Breanna Reynolds, Cade, Morgan, and Abby Mikuska; a brother James (Joyce) Schrepel, Madison; and a sister Donna (Ron) Mohrmann, Bloomington, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents.